Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-03-07
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL.
How the Anti.Pooling and Long. and.
Short. Haul Clauses Will Operate.

ShOrt.Haul Clauses VIII Operate.
San Francisco CALL
Boards of railroad directors are
mt citing all over the country, and
delegates from competing companies
are meeting in convention to decide
upon the line of policy to be pursued
in regard to the er-State commerce
bill. 1t is gratifying to notice that
there seems to be general disposi-
ton to obey the law.
The two features of the act which
were expected to give the most trou-
BILE aud to prove the most impractica-
BILE were the antipooling provision
and the provision forbidding greater
charge for short haul than for long
haul which includes the shorter. For
instance, last March the Southern Pa
ci6c Company was selling tickets
from San Francisco to Omaha for $25,
while tickets from SAT- Francisco to
Ogden cost $45, and tickets from
San Francisco to Los Angeles cost
twice as much as tickets to Omaha via
Los Angeles. The Interstate com
merce act prohibits this, under pen
alties. When the bill was on its pas.
sage railroad men declared that it was
a discrimination which was occasion
ally unavoidable in the fluctuations of
business. But now that the bill has
passed, railroad men see no difficulty
in carrying out the provisions Of the
law. They propose, in such cases, to
charge the same for short haul as
for long haul; thus if an inter
oceanic war breaks out, and rates to
Omaha are cut to $25, the rate to Og-
den and all intermediate points will
be also 1915. This is simple enough,
and will involve no new burden on
travel. The only travellers who will
suffer by reason of the new provision
will be excursionists, whose rates will
have to be adjusted so as not to come
into conflict with the law. If the
price of ticket to Sacramento and
back is IS, it would be unlawful uu-
der this act to advertise excursion
, tickets to Auburn and back for 81
They would have to be IS at least
So if the excursion rate to Santa
Cruz is IS for return ticket, the rate
to Gilroy and Aptos would not bt
any more. There is rough sort o
poetic justice about this which will
reconcile the public to the diminished
number of excursions OF course
the new rule will work some hardship
to immigrants for California and othe
> points West, who cross the continen
l. at special rates by virtue of contract
l made with steamship companies. |
f will be unlawful to sell an lmmigran
ticket to California for less than rail
road companies are charging for tn
,. same class of tickets from New Yor
to Cincinnati. But this, likewise,
e fair enough at bottom.
2. The companies are venting the
h spite on the public by 'suspendin
" the free list" THIS is desirable re
'' form, and we hope it will be faithful
re adhered to. People have no NOR
Y right to want to travel free on raj
to road than to get loaf of bread at tn
"a bakery or leg of mutton free at tn
butchers. The free-pass system is
" monstrous abuse, which has tended
IS encourage railroad companies i
l. wrong doing, to debauch the pres
Al and to impose unwarrantable burde,
7 on the public We hope the con
panies will abolish it, root and branc
y and will make every one who wan
of to travel pay his way like man.
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